Tibet (Myth, Religion and History)
by Tsewang Gyalpo Arya | 2019 | 70,035 words
This essay studies the history, religion and mythology of Tibet, and explores ancient traditions and culture dating back to more than 1000 BC. This research study is based on authoritative texts and commentaries of both Bon (Tibet's indigenous religion) and Buddhist masters available in a variety of sources. It further contains a comparative study ...
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4. How Zhangzhung came under Tibet
Zhangzhung kingdom existed much before the advent of Yarlung dynasty, this is evident from the fact that King Nyatri Tsanpo [Tib: gNya khri btsan po], the first king of Yarlung, was said to have annexed the neighboring regions including Zhangzhung. Tunhuang manuscript P1286,0007[1] corroborate to this fact, where it was mentioned that "at last they could not bear the strength of 'O de sPu rgyal" and the 12 regions including Zhangzhung came under the influence of Tibetan Yarlung Dynasty. Lig snya shur was the Zhangzhung king with Khyung po ra tsangs rje and sTong lom ma tse as the two ministers. dGe 'dun chos 'phel mentions about King Srongtsan Gampo subduing King Lig snya shur of Zhangzhung[2]. However, Zhangzhung, though under Tibetan domination since Nyatri Tsanpo, seemed to have enjoyed a greater degree of autonomy and sometime rebelled against the Tibetan kings. It was the center of Bon religion and culture with strong influence over its neighboring regions.
Tonpa Shenrab, the founder of Yungdrung Bon religion was said to have appeared some 3000 years ago, some put him at 1917 BCE[3]. But it is evident that he appeared before the first King of Tibet. Tonpa Shenrab was said to be born in Olmolungring[4] in Tagzig[5], which some scholars identify it with ancient Persia, present day Iran or Tajikisthan. Tonpa Shenrab visited Tibet during his lifetime to pursue Demon khyappa Lagring, he found the land not ready for the teaching, but he taught them how to propitiate the local gods, suppress demons and purification rites[6] and left with a prayer that the religion may prosper in the land in the near future. This is much before the founding of Yarlung Dynasty. Bon religion spread to Tibet and other regions of India and China from Zhangzhung[7]. As prophesied by Tonpa Shenrab, Priest Namkha Nangba Dogchen [Tib: Nam mkha' snang ba'i mdog can] visited Tibet during Nyatri Tsanpo's time and taught the king Bon of sPyi spungs, and he taught King Mu khri btsan po too. The twelve wisdom of Bon of Cause [Tib:rGyu bon bcu gyis] spread since gNya khri btsan po's time[8].
Bon religion and culture prospered in the land since the time of the first king of Tibet, and Tibet was once called the land of Bon [Tib:Bon gyi yul][9]. Some scholar says the very name "Bod" for Tibet was derived from "Bon"[10]. Tibetan kings were under the guidance of Bon priests from Zhangzhung. In fact the existence of these priests [Tib:Shen] gave legitimacy to the kings to rule, and support to the idea of divine nature of the kings. Each king has a rGyal shen, a royal priest who advises and looks after the sacred duty of the king.
Zhangzhung came under Tibet during the 31st king of Tibet sTag ri gnyan gzigs' time also.[11] But it rebelled during King gNam ri Srong btsan's time. King Srongtsan Gampo, the 33rd king of Tibet found it important to quell the rebel state and put it under its firm control. As Zhangzhung was too strong for the Tibetan army, he adopted marriage alliance to appease its strong neighbor. Srongtsan offered his sister Sadmakar to king Ligmikya, and received the latter's daughter Lithigman as one of his queens. But Sadmakar was not happy in Zhangzhung, Srongtsan insisted that she stay there for the sake of peace between the two kingdoms. However, with a sad letter from Sadmakar and with her persuasion, Srongtsan attacked Zhangzhung and brought it under Tibet. According to Tunhuang manuscript S1284,r003, Khyung po sPung sad zu tse informed Srongtsan Gampo of the internal dissension in the Zhangzhung kingdom. Srongtsan defeated Zhangzhung To yo chas la's King Bor yon tse, and all region of north Zhangzhung including To yo chas la came under Tibet[12]. Here a regional king or a minister by the name of Sad zu tse of Khyung po greatly helped instead of a popular belief that a Tibetan minister influenced a young queen of Zhangzhung king. Tunhuang manuscript P1287,0433 mentions the name of Zhangzhung kings as Li mi hya[13], and P1288,0012 has the Zhangzhung king as Lig snya shur[14]. Zhangzhung rebelled again in the Ox year [677 CE] when Prince 'Dus srong was only one year. However, it was controlled by the Queen-Mother Khri ma lod and the ministers[15].
dGe 'dun chos 'phel in his work "Deb ther dkar po"[16] [White Annals], writes that during the reign of King Srongtsan, country like Zhangzhung was conquered through marriage alliance. He offered his sister Sadmakar to Zhangzhung King Lig mi rgya and despite the latter's reluctance, Srongtsan insisted she stay in Zhangzhung for the sake of her country. When king Srongtsan sent his messanger rMang chung to enquire about her welfare, she sent him a mGur [oral poetical message through song] and a satchel containing some thrty pieces of old turquoises. Srongstan heard the mGur message and he brooded over about the thirty turquoises and interpreted that as saying, "If you can fight Lig mi rgya, then keep the turquoise. If you can not, then wear this as would any woman."[17] Without wasting time, Srongtsan attacked Zhangzhung and conquered it. But in the preceding page, the author has said that three years after the arrival of Munchang kongcho, the Chinese princess, the king defeated Lig snya shub and conquered Zhangzhung[18]. In his later work "Tun hon yig rnying go bder mzad pa", the author has attributed the conquest of Zhangzhung to Khri srong de'u btsan[19]. As the song of Sadmakar and other narratives are same as that of Srongtsan's time, it is probable that the compiler of the manuscripts erred.
Lobpon Tenzin Namdhak writes that according to "Drang don sdron ma mun sel" a text composed during king Khri srong de'u btsan's time, there are many sources describing how Zhangzhung King Lig mi rkya was subdued during King Khrisrong's time, but how Zhangzhung was conquered during Srongtsan's reign could be found in Deb ther dkar po [dGe 'dun chos 'phel's White Annals][20] and he reproduced what dGe 'dun chos 'phel has said [as above].
Regarding the King Khrisrong's time[21], it says:
As the Tibetan king cannot challenge the king of Zhangzhung in terms of military strength, deceitful scheme was executed. Zhangzhung king has three queens, the youngest Gu rub snang sgron legs was eighteen. A Tibetan minister or envoy sNang nam legs grub approached the young queen and offered her gold and praised her beauty. He said the Tibetan king laments that such a beauty is ignored by Zhangzhung king. If something could be done, the Tibetan king is ready to take her as queen and offer two third of Ngari region. The young queen said that Zhangzhung's military is very strong, there is no way Tibet could match it. Only way is to use trick and deceit to defeat Zhangzhung. She confided that soon Zhangzhung king shall travel to Sum pa glang gi gyim shod, Tibetan army should ambush him on the way and she promised to disclose the exact day of the travel. Tibetan side prepared for the day and waited for her signal. One day, the young queen has left a pan with water and a piece of gold and conch shell as a message at the designated place. The king read the message "a pan with water" as the coming full moon night, "a piece of gold and conch shell" means the gSer phug and Dung phug [Gold cave and conch cave] at Dvang ra region. Places by these names are still found in the area of east of Dvang ra khyung rdzong near Nag tsang sgo nag. Here the Tibetan king ambushed the Zhangzhang king and killed him. Hundred thousand army of Zhangzhung ['bum sde] lost, and one thousand army of Tibet [stong sde] won. Since then Zhangzhung never rebelled and became an integral part of Tibet.
On the conquest of Zhangzhung, Shakabpa has just made a one line cursory remark that Zhangzhung became a vassal of Tibetan ruler in 641 AD, he based this conclusion on Tunhunag manuscript.[22] 'Bri gung skyab mgon has, based on Tunhunag manuscript, put the conquest of Zhangzhung under Srongtsan's time.[23] Zhangzhung revolted again after the demise of Mangsrong, but the revolt was crushed by Queen 'Bro bza khri ma lod and Minister mGar khri btsan snya[24]. Historical documents show the annexation of Zhangzhung first time during gNya khri btsan po, then during sTag ri snyan gzigs, Srong btsan, Mang srong Mang tsan, and finally during Khri srong De'u btsan.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
'Bri gung skyabs mgon, p-34 and p-221
[2]:
dGe 'dun chos 'phel, Deb ther dkar po, p-78
[3]:
Namkha Norbu, Drung deu and Bon, p-156 ff
[4]:
mDo gzer mig, p-30
[6]:
Shar rdza bKra shi rgyal mtsan, p-47, 161, "Bod kyi bon po la bon du lha gsol ba, 'dre bkar ba, yug phud pa'i lung phog go"
[7]:
Shar rdza bKra shi rgyal mtsan, p-154
[8]:
ibid, p-161
[9]:
ibid, p-159
[10]:
dGe 'dun chos 'phel, debt ther dkar po, p8-9
[11]:
'Pa' bo gtsug lag phren ba, mkhas pa'i dga' ston, p-171
[12]:
1) 'Bri gung skyab mgon, (S1284,r003) at p-214 and p-222, 2):p-216 Tunhuang manuscript P1288,0012 and 3):p210 [former says "King of Zhangzhung To-yo che, Bor-yon tse was subdued and all area north Zhangzhung including To-yo che came under Srongtsan. Some Khyung po spung sad zu tse greatly helped in the mission." The later says (2) "three years after receiving Chinese Princess Kunjo, in 644 CE, Srongtsan defeated Lig snya shur and conquered all Zhangzhung."
[13]:
'Bri gung skyabs mgon, p-208, "Zhangzhung gi rgyal po Lig mi hya'i sid brlags te Zhangzhung tham cad 'bangs su bkug go"
[14]:
ibid, p-216, "Lig-snya shur brlag ste Zhangzhung tham-cad 'bangs su bkug"
[15]:
ibid, p-223 and Tunhuang P0750,0018 at p-338
[16]:
dGe 'dun chos 'phel, Deb ther dkar po, p-86
[17]:
ibid, p-88, "Yu bus lig mi rgya la rgol phod na ni g.yu thog shig, rgol ma phod na ni bud med dang 'dra bas zhu gyon"
[18]:
dGe 'dun chos 'phel, Deb ther dkar po, p-78
[19]:
dGe 'dun chos 'phel gyi gsung rtsom, deb gsum pa, Tun hong yig cha go bder mzad pa (ga), p-193-196
[20]:
bTan 'zin rNam dag, 'Bel gtam lung gi sying po, p-31
[21]:
bsTan 'zin rNam dag, 'Bel tam lung gi sying po, p-33
[22]:
Shakabpa, A Political History of Tibet, p-27
[23]:
'Bri gung skyab mgon, Bod btsan po'i rgyal rabs, P1827,0398~ p-249 ff
[24]:
'Bri gung skyab mgon, Bod btsan po'i rgyal rabs, p-301